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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497027">Selfish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/swankyturnip76/pseuds/swankyturnip76'>swankyturnip76</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Divergence, Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Just a bit of light miscommunication, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Post-Whole Cake Island, Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:28:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/swankyturnip76/pseuds/swankyturnip76</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Whole Cake Island fiasco, Zoro avoids Sanji. Or has Sanji been avoiding Zoro? Either way, these idiots really need to talk things out. Spoiler alert: they do!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>183</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Selfish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Dedicated to frytheassandthighs on tumblr for complimenting my one piece fics and encouraging me to write more zosan! Also dedicated to lena--beana and indigowallbreaker on tumblr for just encouraging my writing overall.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For one incredibly long week full of tension, Sanji and Zoro didn’t speak to each other. Sanji managed to make amends with all of his other crewmates but he didn’t know how to apologize to Zoro. He was in love with the swordsman and yet he had ruined all chances of friendship with him because of his actions on Whole Cake Island. It didn’t help that Zoro avoided him like the plague and refused to eat in the same room as him. Sanji had started to give up hope of ever getting things back to normal with the swordsman when, at the end of the long week, Zoro cornered him in the galley. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Meet me on deck after everyone’s asleep.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It came out low and soft enough only for Sanji to hear. He felt his heartbeat speed up as Zoro shouldered past him, refusing to meet the cook’s eyes. This was it. After a week of avoiding Sanji, Zoro finally wanted to punch him. Or talk. Or murder him. Or talk, then punch him, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>then </span>
  </em>
  <span>murder him. But if he was being honest with himself, Sanji was just relieved that Zoro had finally decided to break the tension and communicate with him...even if that communication ended up with him being thrown overboard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>--- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji sighed as he finished making dinner. He knew he should try and apologize to Zoro before the swordsman tried to murder him - it was the least he could do. But what if Zoro didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to listen? What if Zoro didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to hear his apology? Sanji figured it was something of a miracle that the others had forgiven him at all. Was he being too selfish in hoping that Zoro would forgive him as well?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” Robin asked him softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji resisted the urge to jump. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard the beautiful historian sneak up behind him. Keeping his eyes on his plating job, he replied smoothly, “It’s nothing to concern yourself with, Robin, my sweet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin put a hand on his shoulder, stilling his movements. “This is about Zoro, isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji opened his mouth but then sighed in defeat. He knew she’d be able to see through him. Robin was overly perceptive, after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He wants to talk to me later. I bet he just wants to pick a fight.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin shook her head and caught his gaze. “I don’t think that’s it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t make any sense,” Sanji muttered as he turned back to his task. “I know he’s upset about what happened on Whole Cake Island but he should just punch me and get it over with. It’s been a week since I came back and he hasn’t said one word to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You haven’t exactly sought him out, either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji blushed at being called out by her. He knew that she knew that he had feelings for Zoro but she had never picked on him for it before. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the hurt one in this situation. He should have come to me sooner and...I don’t know...yelled at me or something like dear Nami did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well...I don’t think he wants to punch you.” At Sanji’s skeptical look, she amended, “Anymore. Zoro’s not usually the first one to voice his true feelings. But I think that largely stems from him needing to take the time to figure out what those feelings </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>hurt, you’re right about that, but I think there’s something else...something you’re overlooking.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What could I possibly be overlooking?” Sanji asked as he moved to serve the plates to the empty kitchen table. Not wanting to give her time to answer, he stuck his head out from the kitchen and called out, “Hey, guys! Food’s ready!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MEAT!” Luffy shouted from the crow’s nest before barreling into the kitchen. Their captain’s presence interrupted their conversation but what Robin had said played through Sanji’s mind on repeat as he watched the crew pile in for dinner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Was </span>
  </em>
  <span>there something more he was missing?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro never showed up for dinner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The minutes had stretched into hours and soon it was nightfall. The rest of the crew went below deck to catch some shut-eye, leaving Zoro and Sanji on watch duty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji’s hands had the slightest tremble in them as he walked across the deck to where Zoro was standing by the bow. The swordsman’s back was to him and Sanji saw the muscles there twitch under the tight stretch of his shirt as Sanji moved to stand beside him. The cigarette he held between his lips offered little comfort against the nervous beating in his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saved dinner for you,” Sanji began, needing to be the first one to break the silence. “It’s in the kitchen if you want it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro didn’t reply. His stare was focused on the ocean ahead of them but his gaze was distant as if he were trapped in a memory. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji took a deep breath and let out a trail of smoke on the exhale. No sense waiting for the ball to drop. “You’re pissed at me...and rightfully so. I fucked everyone over in trying to protect everyone. I shouldn’t have lied and pushed you away. I should have been honest and come to you all for help sooner. But I was afraid. And in my cowardice, I fucked up. I wasn’t a good friend. And I know I don’t deserve a second chance.” He looked at Zoro’s profile. “But I’m selfish. I don’t want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>leave the Straw Hats again. My place is here...with - everyone.” He swallowed and looked away from Zoro. Robin’s words came back to his mind and he felt himself blush out of embarrassment and frustration. “I never wanted to hurt you. I thought that we could just push this under the rug and forget about it but...I guess it’s not that simple with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, you’re such an idiot.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji’s gaze flew back to the swordsman but Zoro was looking up at the sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want to push any shit under the rug. I want us to </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk </span>
  </em>
  <span>about things - whether they go south or right for us, it doesn’t matter. I...I want us to </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that why you avoided me all week?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro flinched but didn’t deny it. “I didn’t know how to start.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you think </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>knew?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You knew what to say to everyone else!” Zoro shouted before remembering that the rest of the crew were asleep and lowering his voice. “You sought every single other member of this crew out and talked to them one-on-one, explaining yourself or whatever, and every single one of them forgave you. Why didn’t you just come and </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk </span>
  </em>
  <span>to me? Don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>mean somethin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Sanji’s turn to feel guilty as he turned away with Robin’s words fresh in his mind. “Of course you do, mosshead.” More quietly, he whispered, “But it’s fucking hard with you. I never know how to start either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were quiet for a moment before Zoro muttered lowly, “Fuck, we’re a couple of idiots.” There was the barest hint of a smile in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji opened his mouth but then he paused and looked at Zoro for a long moment, searching his gaze for something, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that would give him a sign. But Zoro </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>wouldn’t look at him. Making up his mind, Sanji moved closer and put a gentle hand on Zoro’s shoulder. The swordsman startled but didn’t move away. Taking that as a sign of encouragement, Sanji whispered, “I was scared to talk to you because I didn’t think I could say anything that would convince you I could be trusted again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro’s eyes </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>met his and Sanji felt rooted to the spot as Zoro asked, “You must have felt the same way when you talked to the others. Why was talking to </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>any different?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I’m in love with you and am too afraid to tell you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sanji swallowed. Now would be the time to say it. To get it out in the open and over and done with. Now was his chance. But as he looked into Zoro’s eyes, his resolve weakened. Zoro didn’t feel the same way. There was no way he </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He didn’t want to push Zoro away again. “I don’t want to lose you again,” he said instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The swordsman studied him for a long moment before replying, “I want you to know that no matter the situation, you can always, </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span>, call on your nakama for help. We’re a </span>
  <em>
    <span>team</span>
  </em>
  <span>, stupid cook. You never have to handle anything alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji felt his heart skip a beat. “I’m so sorry, Zoro.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Idiot,” the swordsman muttered before reaching out and pulling Sanji flush against him. Zoro’s arms wrapped tightly around him and he buried his face in the crook of Sanji’s neck. “Don’t ever do anything that fucking stupid again, you hear me?” His breath heated the skin under Sanji’s collar and it made the blond blush as he wrapped his arms around Zoro, keeping the swordsman tucked in his embrace. They stayed like that for a few blissful minutes before Sanji felt Zoro’s hands twitch against his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, there’s…” Zoro sighed before pulling back just enough to press their foreheads together. The swordsman kept his eyes closed as he tried again with, “There’s a bigger reason all that Whole Cake stuff annoyed me.” His hands twitched again and Sanji felt his body tense in response. “I probably should’ve said something sooner but I never thought...I didn’t think…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it?” Sanji whispered. He didn’t dare hope that Robin’s words meant what Sanji </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted </span>
  </em>
  <span>them to mean but with Zoro so close…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro put both hands on Sanji’s shoulders and stepped back, putting space between them. The swordsman bowed his head so Sanji couldn’t see his face. “Look. Cook. When...when you made us think you chose that chick over us...I mean, it hurt, yeah, but...it didn’t just piss me off because you chose her over us. It hurt because…” Zoro sighed and his grip tightened. “I wondered if you were really in love with her or not. And when you made it sound like you were, I just...I thought I had…” He let out a groan. “Fuck, this is annoying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji’s blood ran cold. “What -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I know you’re not interested and that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>matter</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Zoro said quickly, his words a stumbling mess, “but that Whole Cake Island shit put things into perspective for me and I realized that I didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to let you go because, well, I’m selfish too. And letting you go was the fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst </span>
  </em>
  <span>feeling in the world. But then you came </span>
  <em>
    <span>back</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I didn’t know how to handle it because you could leave again but I wouldn’t want you to go but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>and, fuck, now I’m sounding like Usopp -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanji pushed out of Zoro’s grip only to gently cup the swordsman’s cheek and lift Zoro’s gaze to meet his. “Tell me, mosshead.” Sanji knew he was blushing and his voice and eyes were full of hope but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed </span>
  </em>
  <span>to know if he had been an idiot all this time. “Tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The remaining walls of Zoro’s restraint crumbled and he said softly but sincerely, “I love you, stupid cook. And - and I don’t want you to marry anyone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The words were barely out before Sanji surged forward and captured Zoro’s lips in their first kiss. It started as a sweet peck but deepened into something heavy with desire and longing as they wrapped their arms around each other. “I love you,” Sanji breathed out when they parted for air. “I’ve loved you for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t want to ever leave you.” His voice broke and it was his turn to bury his face against Zoro’s neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Send me prompts for your favorite pairings at swankaliciouschekov on tumblr! Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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